Rangers power struggle: I am fit person to take over at Ibrox, says Dave King, but I can't broker peace deal

Dave King arrived in Scotland for talks over Rangers last week (Image: Tony Nicoletti/Daily Record)

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DAVE KING last night laid bare the reasons he claims will prove he’s fit and proper.

King wants to return to the Rangers board but any comeback has still to be officially ratified by the London Stock Exchange.

A spokesman for LSE exclusively revealed to Record Sport he should get the nod.

However, the South-Africa-based businessman has to convince Rangers’ nominated adviser he is suitable before this NOMAD then takes the case to the London Stock Exchange to rubber-stamp it.

Question marks hang over King because was found guilty of breaching 41 counts of tax legislation in South Africa. He avoided jail because he paid the fines after a court case that saw a judge brand him “a glib and shameless liar”.

King, though, insists he will receive the go-ahead. He reckons the fact the South African Revenue Services (SARS) consider him good enough to hold a directorship in a plc should convince financial power brokers in London. King said: “I take the opportunity to disassociate myself from the speculative and misinformed press coverage around my fit and proper status.

“Let me make my position clear. The settlement of my legal disputes in South Africa was concluded on a basis that has no effect whatsoever on my ability to serve as a director of companies.

“I presently sit on the board of many companies, including serving as executive chairman of a main board stock exchange listed company in South Africa.

“I have confirmed with my UK attorneys that the legal position is no different in the UK.

“At the request of the NOMAD, I have supplied a letter from the SARS confirming that they see no difficulty with me continuing to sit on the board of companies.

“Again, however, due to my inability to make immediate progress it is not necessary to engage further with the NOMAD at this time.

“When the time arises there may be other questions I have to respond to. I will do so on request. That leaves only the subjective elements that would apply to any person joining a public company board or becoming involved in a football club under the auspices of the SFA.”

King is adamant he will pass that too, although he has yet to contact Hampden chiefs.

There is speculation King may fail the test because of his tax past and the fact he was part of a board that later suffered insolvency during the Craig Whyte reign.

The Castlemilk-born tycoon insists he doesn’t believe Celtic chief Peter Lawwell will form a negative influence that will stop him returning to power at Ibrox.

Lawwell earlier this week revealed he will take himself out of the ruling in case of being seen to be biased.

But King said: “I am fully alert to key questions that are likely to be put to me and I am confident that my responses will be persuasive.

“However, at this point I have not approached the SFA other than my discussion in 2012 to establish what the elements of the fit and proper test would be.

“The SFA is clearly not in a position to consider an application that I have not yet made. Such an application would only happen if I’m able to reach an in-principle agreement to become actively involved in the club’s affairs – as is my continued stated intention.

“I further do not believe the CEO of Celtic attempted to negatively pre-empt any application I might make to the SFA. I have complete confidence the SFA will judge any future application on its merits as would be done for any person.”

Despite King revealing he failed to broker a deal between the warring Ibrox factions, he still thanked the key figures for meeting him over the past week.

He said: “I engaged a number of stakeholders, in Glasgow and London, to seek a compromise to the imbroglio that is restricting the operational capability and the governance at the club. I have also had follow-up phone conversations since my return to South Africa.

“I thank every person that I met for maintaining confidentiality about the details of each meeting.

“I thank the media for their patience when being met with a repeated ‘no comment’ from me.

“I appreciate the importance to the community of what is happening at Rangers but the best interests of the club will not be facilitated by playing it out in the media.

“Over the last two years we have all witnessed the destructive value when individuals, who should be putting the club first, advance personal agendas through the media in an attempt to influence the most important stakeholder in Rangers – the fans.

“The result is the polarisation of interests we’re experiencing and the loss of valuable time and money in preparing the club to be competitive with our Glasgow neighbours, and other teams, when we return to the top flight – as we surely will.

“Thankfully the manager continues to make progress through the leagues despite the distractions he has had to deal with.”